"John Ruskin, critic, artist, philanthropist" - this is how many encyclopedias and dictionaries define this outstanding representative of the Victorian era. It is hard to imagine a person more erudite, versatile, and energetic than Ruskin: his pen produced hundreds of articles, letters, and essays on a wide range of topics, with art, politics, religion, and morality taking the lead. Ruskin found the time and energy to be interested in practically everything around him - he has written works on botany, ornithology, economics, pedagogy, archaeology, geology, and other scientific disciplines that require a vast knowledge base and deep analytical mind. At the same time, Ruskin was never a "cabin" scholar, inclined to solitude in the quiet of his own library - he actively participated in the cultural, civil, and political life of England, interacted with many artists and writers, traveled, taught at the university, and even founded his charitable society in the form of a commune, which exists to this day. "Letters and Advice to Young Ladies and Women" is a collection of essays and messages by Ruskin addressed to his female readers, students, and all young ladies in need of a delicate yet wise life guidance. The letters are infused with benevolent irony and paternal care. In a delicate and condescending tone, Ruskin explains to his readers the most important issues of spiritual and social life. His messages cover topics such as fashion, charity, household management, rules of conduct in society and family, and the selection of literature that is beneficial for the mind and heart, although spiritual enlightenment is invariably placed at the forefront of all Ruskin’s advice. Some recommendations or teachings of the eminent critic and publicist remain relevant today, while others may serve primarily as illustrations of the specific character of the historical period in which they were created. "Letters and Advice to Young Ladies" is an interesting and original document of the Victorian era, which increasingly attracts the interested gaze of modern readers - or, much more often, readers.
